Risk Analysis for Design-Build Construction Projects: A

Simplified Approach
Mohamed El-Gafy, Ph.D., P.E., M.A.I
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Construction Projects are being implemented under different contract systems in the Midwest.
Negotiated design-build has been a popular contract system in recent years. It provides various
advantages through entailing the contractor to be responsible for the whole project. However,
design-build turns out to be risky system for both owners and contractors unless the risks are
identified, quantified and analyzed through the project execution. This paper proposes a
simplified schedule and risk analysis model to help construction estimators. A hypothetical case
study was used to demonstrate the applicability of this simplified model. The developed model
showed a promising enhancement to be used by estimators in analyzing the risk of project
schedule and cost overruns.

Keywords : risk analysis ; Design-build; Construction; Simplified approach

Introduction

In a negotiated contract, decisions on pricing strategies are based on the contractor’s experience,
intuition, and personal bias. There is a lack of practical models that could quantify risks on
construction projects. Xu et al. (2001) proposed an approach to the risk assessment of the
contractor’s pricing strategies while Tummala et al. (1999) formulated a risk management
process (RMP) model to evaluate the risks associated with project cost in different phases of the
project life cycle. Songer et al. (1997) suggest risk analysis tools like Monte Carlo simulation
for evaluating uncertainties on construction projects that are procured by design-build,
construction management, or built-operate-and-transfer methods. Dawood (1998) developed a
simulation model using risk management techniques to estimate activity and project durations.
Mak et al. (2000) conducted a survey on the usage of risk analysis techniques in determining the
contingency allowance in project cost estimating but included no special consideration of risks
on DB type construction projects.

The number of studies related to the design-build contract system is increasing as the application
of this project delivery method expands. Rowings et al. (2000) surveyed electrical contractors
regarding many different aspects of design-build and how those factors impact their business.
The survey revealed several important trends and preferences among electrical contractors. One
area identified in the survey worthy of note was that many of the electrical contractors felt ill
prepared to embark on design-build with their current understanding of the issues.

Chan et al. (2001) identified a set of project success factors for design-build projects and
examined the relative importance of these factors on the project outcome. One of the factors he
found to be important was risk assessment in design-build projects. However, the numbers of
studies that combine the risk analysis/management and design–build subjects are still scarce.
Based on the author’s personal experience with Midwestern Construction Company, this paper
proposes a simplified schedule and risk analysis model to help construction estimators to
perform a risk analysis process, as a step of project risk management systems, for design-build
projects. A hypothetical case study was used to demonstrate the applicability of this simplified
model. The developed model showed marked enhancement in analyzing the risk of project
schedule and cost overruns.

Risk Management and Analysis

The definition for risk is elusive and its measurement is controversial (Lifson and Shaifer 1982).
There is no consistent or uniform usage of the term risk. Often times, risk is interpreted in
association with uncertainty. In this sense, risk implies that there is more than one possible
outcome for the event, where the uncertainty of outcomes is expressed by probability (Al- Bahar
1988). In project management, risks are typically associated with cost, schedule, safety and
technical performance (Rao et al. 1994). For the purpose of this study, risk is defined as the
exposure to the chance of occurrences of cost or schedule growth as a consequence of
uncertainty.

Risk management is a quantitative systematic approach used to manage risks faced by project
participants. It deals with both foreseeable as well as unforeseeable risks and the choice of the
appropriate techniques(s) for treating those risks. The process of risk management includes three
phases: risk identification, risk quantification, and risk control. The process is a continuous
cycle that consists of risk analysis, strategy implementation, and monitoring (Minato and Ashley
1998).

Risk Analysis

Risk analysis is needed to determine the potential impact of the risk. Risk analysis techniques are
grouped into two main categories: quantitative and qualitative (Flanagan & Norman, 1993;
Vaughan, 1997). They both benefit from the data produced by risk identification but the
qualitative approach consumes the gathered information through direct judgment, comparing
options, and descriptive analysis. In contrast, some of the quantitative risk analysis techniques
incorporate uncertainty in a quantitative manner to evaluate the potential impact of risk. In this
process, an analyst integrates information from numerous sources through quantitative and/or
qualitative modeling, while preserving the uncertainty and the complex relationships between the
elements of information (Rao et al. 1994).

Research Methodology

The project begins with identifying the main features, major application deficiencies and
summarization of the encountered risks. Afterwards, schedule risk analysis and cost risk analysis
are subsequently performed for these risks. A stochastic risk analysis technique, similar to Monte

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Carlo simulation, was utilized in both schedule risk and cost risk analysis steps. Microsoft Excel
was used to simulate the data and perform the required analysis.

Spreadsheet Modeling

The simplified spreadsheet solutions developed by Hegazy and Ayed (1999) were used as a
platform for developing the risk analysis model after performing the required schedule
calculations. These spreadsheet models provide opportunity to achieve the project duration and
total project cost range in percentiles at the end of simulation with taking into account the
identified risks and their effects on activity durations and costs. They have also the following
basic characteristics: Schedule risk model: The model consists of all project activities, their
relationships, and their minimum, likely, and maximum durations (Figure 1). Cost risk model:
The model consists of all price items with their units that constitute the total price. It leads the
user to enter the minimum, maximum, and likely production amount and unit price of every price
item (Figure 2).

Case Study

A hypothetical case study was used to demonstrate the applicability of this simplified model.
This hypothetical project includes the design and construction of a 12,000 square foot
commercia l property that will be used as a fast food retail restaurant. It was a negotiated job and
the owner wanted his bid after 10 days. According to the CPM calculations and the parametric
estimation of the project, the estimator can submit his bid for $1,273,300 that can be executed in
131 days.

This case study will help the author to illustrate the negative effects of the lack of risk
identification and risk analysis of design-build construction projects. It should be emphasized
that there are some deficiencies in the application of design-build contract systems for this
specific project due to the short time allowed for preparing an estimate for this project. In order
to clarify the scope of the study, the major risks that have to be taken into consideration along the
risk analysis are summarized in Table 1:

Table 1: Risk Identification/Classification Table

Risk No. Risk description Consequence

1 Changes in quantity/ scope of work Duration & cost
2 Design changes Duration
3 Delay in design Duration
4 Subcontractor or Vendor delays or default Duration
5 Weather conditions Duration
6 Owner Financial problems Duration & cost
7 Inadequate quality of work and re-work delay Duration & cost
8 Sub-soil Stability conditions Duration & cost
9 Safety Duration & cost

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Figure 1: Schedule Risk Model of the Project

In order to build up the schedule risk analysis model of the project, the simplified spreadsheet
solutions developed by Hegazy and Ayed (1999) were used as a platform to develop the
deterministic CPM calculations. Extra columns with a simulation- like algorithm were coded in
the spreadsheet to add the ability to run different cycles of simulation on the model. The
triangular probability distributions, with likely- minimum- maximum activity durations, were
represented.

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Figure 2: Cost Risk Model of the Project

The cost risk analysis spreadsheet model was developed in MS Excel as shown in Figure 2. The
estimate was executed based on a simple floor plan that the estimator sketched with the owner in
the scope clarification meeting. The likely, minimum, and maximum amount values were
decided with the estimator’s experience and historical records from other projects. The price
items were represented by means of triangular probability distributions.

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 Results and Comments

Deterministic Schedule analysis has shown that the project can end at 131 days. However, after
running the simulation, Table 2 shows that the probability of finishing this project in time is
close to 17%. This is a proof that the project is sufficiently risky regards to schedule under the
current conditions.

Table 2: Simulation Results of Schedule Risk analysis model

Project Cumulative
Duration Frequency %
118.1 1 1.00%
124.93 3 4.00%
131.76 13 17.00%
138.59 24 41.00%
145.42 12 53.00%
152.25 13 66.00%
159.08 14 80.00%
165.91 6 86.00%
172.74 12 98.00%
179.57 0 98.00%
More 2 100.00%

Similarly, Deterministic Cost Analysis has shown that the total project cost is $1,273,300. Figure
3 illustrates the simulation results for the cost risk analysis model. This shows that the bid of that
project at $1,273,300 was likely to happen with a probability close to 2%. Such a risky bid value
has naturally converted the project from a profitable project to an unprofitable one to the
company.

A question may come into mind at this point: How would the estimator select the appropriate
project duration and project cost among the various values with different probability percentiles?
The answer would be that the decision would be related to the risk attitude, experience, intuition,
and risk identification capabilities of the contractor and his staff.

Finally, the author has to mention that these results are preliminary and the model needs to be
validated and the selection criteria for the minimum, most likely, and maximum values and the
selection of the activity or price item distributions should be examined.

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 18
CPM Date Most Likely
16
14 Completion Cost
12
Frequency

10
Frequency
8
6
4
2
0

e
or
4

7.8

1.6

5.4

9.2
87

M
42

98

53

08
44

81

17

54

91
12

12

13

13

13

Total Cost
Figure 3: Simulation Results of Cost Risk analysis model

Conclusion

In this study, basic information and relevant literature have been presented related to risk, risk
management/ analysis, and design-build construction contract systems. Subsequently, a
hypothetical project has been examined from the contractor (design-build firm) point of view.
This analysis covers risk identification, schedule risk analysis, and cost risk analysis. Risk
analysis was used by developing a spreadsheet model using MS Excel. And the simulation
algorithm was simply coded on the spreadsheet.

The results conclude that taking simple methods for estimating bid values or a schedule for a
design-build project wo uld be a risky way of doing business. The results from the schedule risk
analysis model and the cost risk analysis model indicated that it is necessary to do a risk analysis
for design-build projects. As a contractor (design-build firm), in order to be able to prepare and
submit a bid for these types of projects, knowledge and experience on design-build systems are
required to succeed. In addition, risk management and analysis should be performed during the
decision making process to determine the bid price.

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